Gianni Vazquez has been released from the UFC after competing in just one fight for the promotion. The bantamweight stepped up on extremely short notice (three days) to face Javid Basharat at UFC Fight Night on February 7, 2026, at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas after Said Nurmagomedov withdrew during fight week. Despite his willingness to save the matchup, Vazquez missed weight for the bout and was subsequently defeated via unanimous decision. The quick release is notable given Vazquez's five-fight win streak prior to joining the UFC and his willingness to compete on short notice, raising questions about the promotion's roster decisions.
The UFC has parted ways with Gianni Vazquez following a single appearance with the promotion, a February 7 bantamweight bout at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas that ended in a unanimous decision loss to Javid Basharat.
Vazquez, 31, entered the fight under difficult circumstances, stepping in on just three days' notice after Said Nurmagomedov withdrew during fight week. Despite accepting the short-notice assignment, Vazquez missed weight ahead of the contest, adding a blemish to what was already a challenging situation. He came in carrying a 13-5-1 record, including a five-fight win streak before signing with the UFC. Standing five-foot-seven with a 71-inch reach, Vazquez is an Orthodox-stance fighter whose game leans heavily on submissions, averaging two submission attempts per 15 minutes, though his striking output is modest at 1.6 significant strikes landed per minute with a 22 percent accuracy rate.
Basharat, nicknamed The Snow Leopard, improved his record to 15-2-0 with the victory. The 30-year-old from England trains out of Xtreme Couture and has built a reputation as a high-volume striker, landing 5.18 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy — among the sharper outputs in the bantamweight division. He also contributes on the ground, averaging 1.83 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Nurmagomedov, the Russian fighter whose withdrawal created the vacancy, carries an 18-5 record and is 34 years old. He averages 3.08 significant strikes per minute and generates consistent submission pressure at 1.1 attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Vazquez's release despite a five-fight win streak and short-notice willingness draws scrutiny toward UFC roster management at bantamweight.
- The missed weight likely accelerated the promotion's decision to move on from Vazquez after just one outing.
- Basharat strengthens his position in a competitive 135-pound division with a clean finish of the paperwork against a late replacement.
Saturday, February 28, 2026
